As we here know, the polls on specific issues show overwhelming popularity for progressive positions -- on medicare, social security, tax increases for the wealthy, government spending on infrastructure and other jobs measures, extension of unemployment insurance and even abortion (though that gap is narrowing). For example, 72% of Americans favor both increasing taxes on the wealthy and preventing any cuts to Medicaid.
However, identification as Democrats is 36% (35% independents; 29% Republicans), and identification by ideology is much worse: 41% conservative; 36% moderate; 21% liberal. The latter is the result of 30 years of demonizing "liberals." Based on the issue polls, it is certain that most of the "moderates" and even some conservatives, are actually liberal on most issues.
The most prominent of the 2011 elections were on issues, rather than parties or candidates: Banning collective bargaining in Ohio and declaring "Personhood" in Mississippi were decisively defeated -- by much greater margins than most Democratic candidates who won, a result confirming that when elections are reduced to issues, the liberal position does much better than Democratic candidates.
The obvious lesson in this is for Democrats to clearly, loudly and frequently remind people that they are the champions of those issues. Not only that, but that the Republicans are the champions of the unpopular positions. Democrats have a great opportunity to do this in the upcoming budget fights -- Take an unequivocal position that Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid cuts are off the table (as opposed to the recent letter signed by 60 Dems). Take an unequivocal position that Democrats want tax increases for the wealthiest and that Republicans want to protect them.
Defeat of the "Personhood" amendment is particularly fascinating and ties in with a long-time belief of mine. That amendment would have made birth control illegal. I have long believed that if Democrats could inform people that Republican extremists don't just want to ban abortion, but also want to ban birth control, they would win a lot more elections. This implicates the right to privacy more generally than abortion alone does and broadens appeal to encompass many more men than abortion alone.
Let's call on Democrats to use the 2011 votes in Ohio and Mississippi and elsewhere to have the courage to be "the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party."